Thera 1.39: Tissa
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(39):Tissa Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =39. Tissa= He was born in this Buddha-age at Kapilavatthu, as the son of the Buddha's aunt, and named Tissa.1 He left the world to follow the Exalted One(Buddha), and living in a woodland settlement, was proud because of his rank, being 44 irritable and critical in his conduct, so that he did not do his duties with zeal. Then the Lord(Buddha), surveying him one day with celestial (divine) vision from afar, while he was sleeping with open mouth in afternoon, came over him above as a glorious divine image shedding grace upon him, and wakening him with these words: ---- 39 Sattiyā viya omaṭṭho ḍayhamāno'va matthake|| Kāmarāgappahānāya sato bhikkhu paribbaje' ti.|| || ---- 39 As one is down hit by impending sword, As one whose hair and turban are aflame,2 So let the Monk, mindful and alert, Go forth, all worldly passions left behind. ---- When the Thera heard this, his heart was filled with anguish, and he abode intent on insight. Noting this, the Lord(Buddha) taught him the 'Sutta of Thera Tissa,' which is in the Saŋyutta collection.'3 At the close of it Tissa was established in arahantship(enlightenment). And to confess aññā(supreme attainment) and honour the Lord(Buddha), he uttered that same verse. ---- 1 I.e., son of Amatā (Amritā), sister of Suddhodana. 2 On this metaphor, see Sisters, p. 172, verse 7. The Commentary has a note on various sword-wounds, but the moral is simply the need of instant action, whether to heal or to extinguish. See verse 1, 162 f. 3 Saŋy., iii. 106. Tissa confesses to the monks his mental sluggishness and distaste for religion. They bring him to the Lord(Buddha). The discourse, with catechism, is in keeping with the above. In the Dhammapada Comy, (i. 37) he is called Thulla-Tissa (Fat Tissa). Cf. ''Saŋy.,''i. 13. ---- 1.4-939 Commentary on the stanza of =Tissa Thera= 9,1. The stanza, starting with Sattiyā viya omaṭṭho constitutes that of the venerable Thera Tissa. What is the origin? This one also, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas and accumulating meritorius deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths in this and that existence, cleaned the foot of the bodhi tree of the Blessed One Tissa after removing the old leaves. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn as the son of the paternal aunt (pitucchā) of the Blessed One in the city of Kapilavatthu when this Buddha arose, known by the name of Tissa. He became amulated by the Blessed One to become a monk got himself fully ordained (upasampanno), dwelt in the forest region, made himself conceited dependent on (paṭicca) on his (high) birth, and wandered about having become abundant in anger and unrest as well as taking offence abundantly; he did not make any endeavour in the duties of a monk (samaṇadhamma). Then, one day, the Master, by means of His divine eye, caught sight of (olokento) him sleeping with his mouth open in the place where he made his day stay (divāṭhāna) went through the sky from Sāvatthi, stood above him but in the sky pervaded it with His ray of light, roused up his mindfulness toward Buddha (paṭibuddhassa) by meams of that ray of light and uttered a stanza, starting with “sattiyā viya omattho” giving him instruction. 39. There saattiyā is to be construed thus:– This word is the heading of the instruction (desanā); with the holding (dhara) together (ekato) etc., by means of knife weapon; thus, is the meaning. Omaṭṭho means struck (pahaṭo). Indeed, there are four forms of strokes or blows (pahāra): - omaṭṭho (hitting from below), ummaṭṭho (up-stroke), maṭṭho (blow) and vimaṭṭho (different kinds of hits). There, having stood oneself above, the hit given with face downwards is known as the blow facing downwards (omaṭṭha); after having stood below, the blow given facing upwards is known as upward hit (ummaṭṭha); (the Blow) that had gone having pierced through and through (vinivijjhitvā) similar to the blot-pin (aggaḷa-sūci) is known as the hitting stroke (maṭṭha); all the rest of blows also is known as different varieties of hits (vimaṭṭho) In this context (ṭhāna), however, the blow given facing downwards (omaṭṭho) has been taken (gahito). Indeed, he was entirely severe (dāruṇo), with an arrow difficult to be drawn out (duruddharaṇasallo), difficult to be given medical treatment (duttikiccho), intenally defective (antodoso) and was with but pus and (bad) blood inside (antopubbalohito); the pus-formed blood did not come out but stood enveloping the sore-opening (vaṇamukha). By those who desire to take out (nīharitukāma), the pus-formed blood, (the patient) is to be bound along with the couch and should be made head down-wards (adhosito). (The patients) arrive at misery (dukkhaṃ) either in the form of death or to that extent. ḍayhamāne means on being burnt by fire. Matthake means on the head. This is what has been said:– Just as a man struck by a knife (satti) facing downwards (omaṭṭho) begins to make exertion for the purpose of extracting the arrow (sallubbāhana) ans healing his sore (gaṇatikicchana), makes such a preparation (payoga) as that (tādisa), puts forward his effort (parakkamati); just as also a head-burnt man, whose head is being burnt, starts exerting for the prupose of extinguishing that fire, makes such undertaking (payoga) like that (tādisaṃ), in the self-same way a bhikkhu(monk) should live mindfully (sato), diligently (appamatto) and becoming excessively energetic for doing away with sensual lust (kāmarāga). 39,1. In this manner, the Blessed One, giving admonition to that Thera for the calming down of that Thera’s anger and turbulence (upayāsa), completed His teaching (desanaṃ) under the heading (sīsena) of the doing away with sensual lust for his standing alone all by himself (tadekaṭṭhatāya). On having heard this stanza, the Thera became remorseful at heart, and dwelt being intent on (yuttapayutto) developing spiritual insight (vippasanā). On having understood his inclination (ajjhāsaya) the Master taught (desesi) the Tissattherasutta in the Saṃyuttaka. Hence, it has been said in the Apadāna:– Having enjoyed both types of bliss (yasa) in the divine world as well as human, I attained the unsurpassed, cool nibbāna also in the end. What, namely, is difficult to gain for a man who produced (pasavi) merit regard- ing the bodhi tree of that Master after having specifically allotted it (uddisitvāna) to the self-awakened Buddha (Himself_. As one free from cankers (āsava) I am to enter nibbāna, having become superios (adhiko) to others in attaining the right noble path (magga), its fruition, the ability in memorising the piṭakas (āgame) as well as in such qualities as jhāna and higher knowledge (abhiññā). Formerly with my mind full of joy I discarded the (dry) leaves of (cleaned) the bodhi tree. (Consequently) I became in every manner endowed with these twenty qualities (aṅga). My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. 39,2. Having however attained Arahantship, the Thera uttered that self-same stanza in order to revere the Master, making manifest his Arahantship (aññā). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Tissa is complete. **********oOo********* ----